Tesla Roadster production likely for California, not Texas – Roadshow [CNET]

Tesla CEO Elon Musk already said the new Roadster, originally scheduled to launch this year, was delayed. However, it sounds like there’s a firmer timeframe ahead as the electric carmaker prepares for its second factory in the US.

According to comments Musk made during the automaker’s second quarter earnings call, the Roadster could start production next year, but it probably won’t be built in Austin, Texas — the soon-to-be-home of Tesla’s newest US Gigafactory. Instead, Musk said the Roadster is a better candidate for its current plant in Fremont, California.

The halo vehicle for Tesla should come with a whopping 620-mile range, thanks to a 200 kilowatt-hour battery, a 250 mph top speed and a promised 0 to 60 mph time of just 1.9 seconds.

It sounds like the California-based facility will focus more on higher-end vehicles such as the Model S, Model X, and now, probably the Roadster. Musk said the upcoming factory in Austin will handle Model 3 and Model Y for the eastern part of the US, which will certainly free up room for Teslas built in California. The new factory will also build the Cybertruck and Semi, which will be two additional mass-market Teslas.

Whenever the Roadster does show up, expect Tesla to have already launched the Cybertruck and Semi. Musk previously said on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast that it makes more sense to get the electric pickup and semi truck off the ground first before focusing on a sports car. Both the Cybertruck and Semi are due to begin production next year, and if all goes according to plan, the new Gigafactory in Texas will be online within the next 12 to 18 months.